


Otherwise

by Evie_adams273



Category: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Additional Scene, Bonding, Father and Son, For an Event, Gen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, I need this in the show, early apology, harry and albus, immediately afterwards, instead of burning bed, much needed apology, this should be canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:16:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23776726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evie_adams273/pseuds/Evie_adams273
Summary: After they get home, Harry sits down with Albus. To talk and to listen.
Relationships: Albus Severus Potter & Harry Potter, Albus Severus Potter & James Sirius Potter & Lily Luna Potter, Ginny Potter & Molly Weasley
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45
Collections: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: the scenes that never made the final cut





	Otherwise

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for @SunshineScorpius' Collection Fic. Thank you for getting me to dig this one up and finish it. It's been a while.

The world seemed to be moving too quickly for Albus to properly process any of it. Everything was spinning wildly out of control and he had the feeling that, soon, he would lose it completely. But at the same time, it was moving too slowly to be bearable. His limbs felt heavy and stiff, like walking through treacle, and his hands hurt from the cuts and grazes.

He didn’t really care. He just wanted to sleep. Or rest. Or be able to sit down without the constant fear that someone else would die. It was over. It was all over. All he had to do was make it through tonight and then tomorrow. And then it would be one day at a time. Just like it had always been.

He knew he needed to go back to school soon. He needed to see Scorpius again. He needed to apologise. After everything that had happened, he needed to apologise for his stupid life decisions.

He couldn’t get the image out of his head. Scorpius. Screaming and begging and pleading. And Albus being unable to do anything to stop it.

Merlin. Those moments, the stupidest ones, where he had tried to threaten Delphi. Merlin. How had he ever thought that he stood a chance trying to stop her like that? How had he ever thought he could stop her? He’d been kidding himself.

He was also kidding himself if he believed that anything at all would be able to go back to normal. He hadn’t been able to face school before. How would he face it now that he was partially responsible for the death of one of his classmates.

Albus flinched, looking up to see Lily and James stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at them. He looked away. Not now. He didn’t want to start this now. The questions and the concerns and the plaguing attention. 

“Al?” James sounded as if he were about to crack.

But he wanted to see his siblings. Until a couple of hours ago he’d thought he would die before seeing them again.

Albus forced himself to look up at his brother and, at the very least, acknowledge his words. It only took half a moment of silence, and then Lily and James had collided into him and wrapped him in one of the tightest hugs he had ever received. At first, his body fought back at the touch, struggling to get out of the feeling of being trapped, but then he took a breath and he recognised the scent. Home. Baking. His siblings. His family.

He melted into the hug, allowing the tears to start again. They had momentarily stopped. This feeling of home, of safety, had become foreign in a few short days. Or maybe years. Because he couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this.

He looked up as his grandmother bustled out of the kitchen, partly covered in flour and splatters of melted chocolate.

“Are you okay?” she wrapped her arms around her daughter. “Are you hurt? Do you need anything?”

“We’re okay,” Albus’ mum cut her off softly. “We just need to rest.”

Albus let go of Lily and James, trudging through to the lounge and sitting down in one of the more battered chairs. The world started to turn again, with everyone moving around him, but he wasn’t really registering any of it. People talking. Someone saying something about food.

Albus didn’t care. He wanted to. But he couldn’t bring himself to it. He knew that his family had all been terrified for him, and they were just grateful to see him again, but the world felt fake. No one had asked what had happened, other than about what she had done to Craig. Everyone was acting like it would blow over and they would all be okay.

Albus didn’t know whether he could live with himself anymore.

His stupidity and arrogance had caused the death of a child. Craig had been a kid. They had all been kids at the beginning of the evening. And Scorpius. After what Scorpius had been put through, Albus knew he wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want anything to do with him anymore.

He didn’t deserve his friend. He didn’t deserve this kind, loving boy in his life.

The world kept moving. Albus only looked up and registered his surroundings when his dad sat down in the chair next to him, looking nothing short of terrible. His hair and clothes were both messy. He had been crying. Albus didn’t care.

“Dad,” his voice cracked.

“I know,” his dad started quietly, “that we can’t talk about all of this now.”

Albus didn’t say anything.

“We’re exhausted. We need time. And after everything, neither of us are ready.”

Albus could feel the nerves mounting in his stomach. For once, his dad had been right about something; they weren’t ready to have this conversation. Albus didn’t want to end up in another fight. Not again. Not now.

He had some idea of where his dad was going. And while he knew they would both tread lightly now, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive. Their last two conversations hadn’t gone well. Both had been directly before everything had gone very badly wrong. Trying for a third time didn’t feel like a good idea. 

“Talking about this…” Albus trailed off.

“Do you want to?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s okay,” his dad said softly. “I’m not asking you to have this conversation now. If you never want to have this conversation, it’s not something I’d advise, but it’s not something I’m going to force you to do. This is your call. When, and if, you’re comfortable.”

“Okay,” Albus nodded. “Thank you.”

He meant it. Even if they hadn’t really spoken, what his dad had already said proved that his dad would listen. Really, that was what it came down to. Both of them kept trying to reach, but neither of them knew how to reach each other. Nothing was helped by the fact that they were scared to listen to one another.

But now Albus’ dad had said he would. Or said they could have a proper conversation. And Albus wouldn’t bend over backwards to make things work, but he would listen. Maybe his dad would meet him halfway this time.

But not tonight.

“But I should say now–”

Albus tried not to cringe.

“I’m sorry. For what I said. It was unforgiveable, and I can’t ask you to forget it. But I hope we can move past it.”

Albus didn’t move.

“I’m going to try and be a better dad for you, Albus. I am going to try and – be honest with you and listen to you.”

Albus’ eyes started to fill with tears. He wanted to put it down to the exhaustion and the fear and everything else that had happened, but he couldn’t. His dad hadn’t given up on him. On them. They could do this. They could make it through whatever ridiculous walls they had both put up.

“I’ll try and be a better son for you,” Albus murmured, his voice cracking. “I know I haven’t helped – this…”

“You have done your best,” his dad moved a little closer. “And I am going to start doing better. We can do this. Okay?”

Albus nodded, looking at his dad. They locked gaze for a moment, and then Albus couldn’t stop the tears. They ran down his face as he moved towards his dad. His dad embraced him, running a hand over the back of his head.

Albus closed his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> So that was fun. The little reference to threatening Delphi actually comes from the German translation, in which, during the first Crucio, Albus shouts 'Sonst!", meaning 'Otherwise". Delphi fires back with 'Sonst was?', or 'otherwise what'. This hurt quite a lot when I heard it.  
> Thanks for reading.  
> Kudos and comments much appreciated  
> Twitter: @evie_adams273


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